The Nourishing Gardens of Esalen

Esalen, a haven devoted to the exploration of human potential, is located in Big Sur, California. Recently, my wife, Nancy, and I had a very enriching experience while visiting with our nephew, Sam, who works there.

Winterizing Your Drip Irrigation System 2015

While much of the northern portion of United States is battening down the hatches for winter, there are areas of the country where gardening throughout the winter is feasible. More than half of DripWorks’ customers live in USDA zones 8 and 9, an area that stretches from the west coast down through the southwest and the southern states. Here, when certain measures are taken, fall and winter gardening is possible. 

10 Gardening Blogs We Love!

A quick look around will reveal the many garden blogs available online these days. The ones we enjoy the most are informational, beautiful, and contain personal insights that leave you feeling like you just visited the garden of a new found friend. Here are a few of our current favorites!

Fall Planting for Beauty and Pollination

Autumn is the best time for planting and enjoying flowering perennials. Choose fall-flowering shrubs or smaller perennials and plant them with an ample amount of well-composted soil in October* to ensure that your plants thrive. The coming rains and cooler weather will help their root systems develop fully and enable your garden to become the spectacular showcase that you, and the birds, bees, butterflies, bats, and other local beneficial insects in your neighborhood, have been dreaming of. (*Consult your local planting zone guide)

2015 Heirloom Exposition - Pure Food for the World

The sights and sounds of the 5th annual National Heirloom Exposition are just around the corner. The expo's mission: to reconnect us to the pure, healthful food of our heritage. The world is being taken over by national and multi-national corporations, whose reach has not just extended into the food industry but appears to have taken it over. The goal of these corporations is to make the most money for their shareholders, not to provide nutritious food for our health.

Iceland-Land of Fire and Ice (And So Much Water!)

The Land of Fire and Ice

Recently my wife, Nancy, and I had the good fortune to spend two weeks in Iceland, the incredible "Land of Fire and Ice". In stark contrast to the drought stricken western United States, where we live, Iceland almost appears to have more water than they can handle. We should all have such problems!

Plant Now for a Fall Vegetable Garden

Although most of the country recently experienced a terrible heat spell, two months from now we'll be wishing we had planted some vegetable crops in late Summer. Crops do surprisingly well in the cool fall weather with fewer insects and weeds, and more rain. No, I'm not talking about tomatoes and peppers, but now is the perfect time to plant brassicas, beets, carrots, chard and other cool season vegetables. These crops tend to be loaded with nutrients and taste even sweeter when they are harvested under more temperate conditions. Take advantage of these factors and extend the time that you'll get the freshest veggies from your garden.